Fitting Solo: From Measurements to Muslin

Class Preview

Find your fit without a partner! Learn how to take your own measurements, make basic pattern adjustments and create fitting muslins for personalized garments.

Measuring Your Body

Meet sewing instructor and Craftsy veteran Linda Lee and learn how to accurately measure yourself and make basic pattern adjustments on your own for the best-fitting garments. Linda demonstrates her tricks and techniques for solo measuring and identifies aids to measure correct numbers.

Comparing Body & Pattern Measurements

Learn how to compare your body’s measurements to the pattern’s measurements. Linda teaches you the nuances behind ease and how to accurately add ease into your calculations. Finally, find your starting size and learn Linda’s method for using the full bust measurement.

Adjusting The Top: Lengthen & Shorten

Lengthen or shorten a top for your best fit. Linda demonstrates how to lengthen and shorten at the waist to keep the pattern accurate. Grab your straight and curved rulers and learn how to add or reduce length at the waist, as well as total garment length and sleeve length.

Adjusting The Top: Widen & Narrow

Narrow the shoulder but still preserve the original armscye with Linda’s inventive trick! You’ll learn how to restore pattern lines when you need to add or subtract width to fit your shape. Then, make side seam alterations to finish adjusting the top pattern.

Making a Fitting Muslin: Top

Learn how to make a muslin to refine the fit of your top. Linda reviews what to include and what can be left out of a fitting muslin, as well as how to mark adjustments and transfer the muslin to the pattern. Finally, see how the muslin reveals essential shoulder adjustments and how to make them.

Adjusting Pants or Skirt Pattern

Pants can be challenging to fit, but Linda makes it easy to do even when fitting solo. You’ll learn to make both length and width adjustments for pants, how to find the knee placement if it’s not marked on the pattern and how to approach basic fitting for skirts.

Making a Fitting Muslin: Pants or Skirt

Construct a fitting muslin for your pants. Linda will try on her own muslin and show how she evaluates the fit, marks the muslin and transfers the changes to the pattern. Then, learn to adjust for a fuller tummy and a fuller rear and reset the waistband for comfort.